intransitive verb

Action without receiver

An intransitive verb is one that doesn't take a direct object—the action stays with the subject rather than passing to something else.

In The dog barked, barked is intransitive; there's nothing being barked.

Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive depending on use: She sings (intransitive) versus She sings opera (transitive).

examples

run

Move swiftly on foot

jumpPropel oneself airborne
swimMove through water
danceRhythmic bodily movement

fly · fall · laugh · cry · sleep · die · sit · stand · arrive · leave

states

exist

Have actual being

breatheExchange air through lungs
sleepRecurring unconscious repose
dreamSleeping mind's narrative

awaken · flourish · wither · decay · thrive · languish · deteriorate · persist · endure · linger

grammar

subject

Matter under discussion

predicateSentence's non-subject portion
clauseProvision in agreement
conjugationVerb form variation system

tense · aspect · mood · voice · inflection · auxiliary · imperative · subjunctive · indicative · preterite

Categories

grammardeclension, pronouns, adjectives, conjugation, nouns
grammar partsnoun, adjective, pronoun, preposition, conjunction
grammar termsnoun, adjective, pronoun, preposition, conjunction
parts of speechnoun, adjective, pronoun, preposition, conjunction
verb aspectsperfective, progressive, habitual, stative, continuous
verb grammarconjugation, tense, infinitive, participle, past tense

Opposites

object-taking capacity

intransitive verbtransitive verb

Action requiring direct object

transitive · action verb

Family

intransitive, transitive, transit, transition, transitional, transitionally, transitively, verb, verbal

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G